Licence to Coach

Licence to Coach

Over 2,500 coaches have been qualified since the awards began. In order to maintain a register of coaches that British Orienteering is confident are active and knowledgeable in current coaching methods a ‘License to Coach’ scheme is in place.

The term 'Licence to Coach' identifies those Orienteering Coaches meeting the following criteria:

Are a current member of British Orienteering

Demonstrated competence against the standards at the appropriate Coaching Award Level

Signed to confirm you accept the British Orienteering Code of Conduct for Coaches

Coaches who are licensed to coach will be covered by the British Orienteering Public Liability (£10m) and Professional Indemnity insurance (£5m) and able to register and run coaching activities. Please note that under the British Orienteering insurance policy you will only be covered while you are coaching in an area which is determined by your Coaching Qualification and your level of First Aid qualification.

In addition to the insurance cover, we will promote you as a licenced coach and are currently encouraging all parents, clubs and associations to use coaches that are licenced and up to date in their knowledge and practice.

Please note that there is no longer a need to hold a criminal record check to be licenced; you will, however, need to be checked if you are going to be working with children or vulnerable adults frequently.

Becoming a Licensed Coach

Please contact the National Office who will require evidence of the above, either paper copies or scanned copies will be acceptable and these can be sent either through the post to the address included here below:

Maintaining a License to Coach

To maintain a License to Coach, coaches are required to demonstrate and provide evidence that:

They have undertaken appropriate CPD in the last three years and completed a CPD Log, sample shown. A summary of the requirements for CPD can be found on a tab of the CPD log spreadsheet. CPD Logs should be sent to the Association Coaching Representative, click here to find out who the representative is for your region.

They have a current First Aid qualification that is appropriate to the areas and environments they will be working in. As a coach they may choose to attend whichever length (and therefore content) of First Aid course they think is most appropriate be it 3 hours (Emergency First aid), 1 day (Emergency and Basic First Aid) or 2 days (Practical First Aid), based on a risk assessment of the area in which they are coaching. Different providers of First Aid will offer those length courses but they may have different names. It is the coach’s responsibility to maintain their First Aid qualification.

Please note the linkage between area types for both Qualification level and First Aid qualification level:

A coach with UKCC level 1, old Level 1 or old Level 2 qualification is insured to coach on type A and B areas

A coach with UKCC Level 2 or old Level 3 is insured to coach on type A, B and C areas

A coach with UKCC Level 3 or old Level 4 or 5 qualifications is insured to coach on A, B, C and D areas. A coach with UKCCL2 or old Level 3 who has attended the workshop ‘ Safety for Coaches Working in Remote and/or Exposed Areas’ is insured to coach on A, B, C and D areas.

A coach with an Emergency First Aid qualification or equivalent is insured to coach on type A and B areas

A coach with an Emergency and Basic First Aid qualification is insured to coach on type A, B and C areas

A coach with a Practical First Aid qualification is insured to coach on type A, B, C and D area.